


oh, the things we could've been

by kindlingchild



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Nightmares, One Shot, akira has a nightmare about akechi's death, basically everything in persona 5 but earlier so akechi isn't doomed, because pancake boy deserved better and deserves love so here's be giving it to him, set a few years before the events of persona 5, spoilers for seventh palace
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-05
Updated: 2018-12-05
Packaged: 2019-09-07 16:21:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16857337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindlingchild/pseuds/kindlingchild
Summary: The Phantom Thieves have done their work. They saved the world.But Akira can't shake off the feeling that if all of it had happened a few years in the future, things would've been drastically different.(Akira has a nightmare, but Akechi is there to help him.)





	oh, the things we could've been

**Author's Note:**

> IAJDIJASDAIDJAKSJDNAS i deadass cried while writing this #masochism
> 
> this is a warmup drabble for some serious longer one shots i plan to write in the coming weeks!!
> 
> events of persona 5 all occurred but earlier so akechi isn't crazy (11/20 never happens, akechi's death never happens, mental shutdowns happen but by shido himself)

 

_if we had met a few years earlier_

 

“Are you all idiots?” Akechi coughed, blood spilling out of his mouth. Cuts and bruises covered his skin, and Akira could see the pain in his eyes.

 

_would things have been different?_

 

“You should get rid of me,” Akechi laughed, “If you don’t want me getting in your way.”

Akechi’s laughs had always been sad, but he sounded… _devastated._

 

_could i have saved you?_

 

“You all are truly beyond my comprehension,” the detective was on the verge of tears, a crazed grin on his face as he whipped his head up to look at the other Phantom Thieves.

He looked so lonely.

 

_could i have kept you from despair?_

 

“But look at yourself, you’re the true puppet,” Cognitive Akechi laughed maniacally, and Akechi grunted as he struggled to stand. Akira saw his fists clench.

He knew all this already. Akira knew these were the thoughts that echoed in his head everyday— that plagued him as he worked, kept him up at night.

The weight of such misdeeds was never easy to hold up alone.

 

_would you be better?_

 

“You wanted to be acknowledged, didn’t you? To be loved?” Cognitive Akechi laughed (but his was empty, cold, devoid of emotion), “You’ve been nothing but a puppet from the very beginning.”

Akira would have given anything to run over and hug Akechi.

 

_would you still be…_

 

“Hahah, I was such a fool.” Akechi whipped out his gun, seemingly pointing it straight at Akira.

Except— he wasn’t pointing it at Akira.

The Phantom Thief knew Akechi better than anyone. He had stellar aim, but his arm was off slightly to the right.

Akira’s eyes widened and he turned to see what Akechi was aiming at, but suddenly a gunshot rang out and the power box behind Akira had been damaged by a single bullet.

 

_would you be—_

 

“Let’s make a deal… okay? You won’t say no… will you?”

 

_would you, would you, would you, would you—_

  
  


_BANG. BANG._

  
  
  


“His signal is gone.”

  
  
  


_would you still be alive?_

 

 

 

 

 

Akira sat up, drenched in sweat.

Tears dripped from his eyes in an endless stream, and his breaths were shallow and quick.

_akechi. akechi. akechi._

He tore off his sheets, scrambling to the cabinet at the other end of the room. Morgana had kept Ryuji company that night, since guests with cat allergies had come into the cafe that night.

_akechi. goro. crow. akechi. goro. crow._

Though blurry vision, he picked up his phone, nearly dropping it from how rushed his movements were. He juggled it unsteadily in his hands, swiping through his contact list and searching for the name that echoed in his head.

_akechi. akechi. akechi._

Tears were dripping onto his phone now, and his knees were shaking. His whole body was trembling, and through the loud ringing in his ears from his headache he could hear raindrops tapping against the attic window.

Gasping loudly upon finally finding the contact he was searching for, he put the phone to his ear, fingers trembling as he covered his mouth to mask the sobs that threatened to escape and wake up the whole neighbourhood.

_pick up. pick up. pick up._

The phone continued ringing.

_pick up. pick. up. pick. up._

The ringing seemed to last forever.

_please. pick. up._

Akira felt like screaming.

_what if he doesn’t pick up— what if he’s dead and all of that was real and— what if—_

  
  
  
  


_BANG._

  
  
  
  


_BANG._

  
  
  
  


_“His signal… is gone.”_  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_“Hmmmprh… Akira?”_

Akira crumbled to the floor, hand falling from his mouth. Loud sobs escaped him, though the expression of euphoria on his face completely contrasted the noises of sorrow that he was making.

 _“Akira? Akira, are you okay?"_  Akechi sounded much more awake now.

“A-Ake-Akechi—” Akira could barely breathe.

 _“H-Hold on, love, I’m coming. I’m coming—”_ Akira could hear the sound of bedsheets ruffling from the other side of the phone, _“Stay on the phone with me okay? Deep breaths. It’s okay. It’s okay.”_

“I-It’s r-r-raining—”

 _“Shh, yes. I know. I’ll be careful. I promise. Can you manage by yourself for a bit? I have to focus on walking,”_ Akechi’s voice sounded a little further away— changing clothes, probably, _“I’ll send you voice recordings.”_

“O-Okay,” Akira whimpered, grasping at the rim of his shirt with his free hand, “B-Be c-careful.”

His words were barely a whisper, but Akechi caught onto every word.

 _“I will. Promise.”_ He heard keys jingling loudly in the background. _“Be there soon. I love you, Akira.”_

“L-Love you too,” Akira whispered, and then a “beep” rang in his ear and Akechi was gone.

But not forever.

 

_thank god, it’s not forever._

 

 

 

 

 

_if we had met a few years in the future_

 

“Akira! Akira, oh my God,” Akechi ran up the stairs, crumbling to his knees in front of his boyfriend. He was slightly wet from the pouring rain, but Akira couldn’t possibly have cared less.

 

_things would’ve been very different._

 

Akira dived forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Akechi. He nuzzled his head into his boyfriend’s chest, sobbing quietly into the thin material of Akechi’s shirt. He felt Akechi’s arms instantly wrap around him, hand slowly running up and down his back, tracing small patterns to help calm him down.

 

_you wouldn’t have been saved._

 

“I-I had a dream,” Akira whimpered, grasping at Akechi’s shirt, “And— A-And you—”

 

_you would have been tossed into despair._

 

“Shh, it’s okay, my love. I’m here now. I’m here now.” Akechi slid his hands beneath Akira’s shirt, the warmth from his palms pressing against the bare skin on Akira’s back.

The night was so cold, and Akechi was so warm.

 

_you would have been so much worse off._

 

They sat like that for awhile— Akira’s soft sobs echoing throughout the attic, blending in with the sounds of the rain tapping against the window. It was quiet and tranquil and he could feel Akechi’s warmth engulfing him like a flame.

 

_you would have…_

 

“C’mon Akira, let’s get you to bed,” Akechi whispered after a few moments of silence, before gently nudging Akira to the side. He scooped up the Phantom Thief with ease, walking over to his bed and gently laying him down.

 

_you— you would be—_

 

Akechi grabbed the blanket that was falling off the end of the bed, pulling it over Akira. Holding the other corner of the blanket, he lifted it up and slid himself underneath the fabric, thighs pressing against Akira’s.

 

_you, you, you, you, you, you, you’d be d—_

 

“Sleep, Joker. I’ll be right here in the morning when you wake.” Akechi’s voice was barely a whisper, but Akira could still hear every word clearly— and despite the darkness, he could still see Akechi’s soft, comforting smile.

Their legs tangled themselves beneath the sheets, and Akechi pressed a soft kiss to Akira’s forehead as he wrapped his arms around him.

“Goodnight, Akira.”

  
  
  


_but you’re not._

 

_you’re right here._

 

_not hurt, wounded, traumatised, betrayed._

 

_not alone, scared, depressed and in despair._

 

_you’re safe, sound, alive, loved._

 

_and that’s all you need to be._

  


**Author's Note:**

> hope you enjoyed!!!  
> tumblr: kitaguwu  
> leave comments if you want!! they'll be greatly appreciated TT


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